Stowage for an inflatable raft or like inflatable object



G. N. PRITTY Jan. 24, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 24, 1956 (5. N. PRITTY STOWAGE FOR AN INFLATABLE RAFT OR LIKE INFLATABLE OBJECT Filed July 24, 1956 .2 Sheets-Sheet 2 STOWAGE FOR AN INFLATABLE RAFT OR LIKE INFLATABLE OBJECT Gerald Neil Pritty, Leamington Spa, England, assignor of one-half to R.F.D. Company Limited, Godalming, England Filed July 24, 1956, Ser. No. 599,767 7 Claims. (Cl. 9-11) The invention relates to a stowage, for an inflatable raft, or like inflatable object (e.g. a flotation bag for salvage purposes) to be placed, for example, in a suitable position upon a vessel, such as a ship for the safety of personnel, or an aircraft for dropping by parachute or otherwise. Such a stowage has hitherto been in the form of a valise of textile material which is liable to damage either during transportation from the factory to the vessel or when installed on the latter, and the object of the invention is a stowage with which this disadvantage is mitigated.

According to the invention, a stowage for an inflatable raft includes a rigid casing of which at least two parts are held in closed condition by a member which, when a suflicient pressure develops within the casing due to the inflation of the raft, is acted upon for releasing the said parts, the casing containing a reservoir, of highly compressed gas for inflating the raft, which is associated with a valve or cutting head arranged to be operated either before or after the casing has entered the water.

According to a further feature the reservoir can be so disposed in the casing as additionally to act as a keel for ensuring that the casing shall float in such an attitude that the raft, packed in a predetermined manner, will be the right way up when inflated.

The means for operating the valve or cutting head after the casing has entered the water can be a hydrostaticallyoperated means when the closed casing with contents is non-buoyant, or when the closed casing and contents is buoyant the said means can be a lanyard, which is either to be pulled by a person in the water or, when the vessel is a ship, is of sufficient length to extend to an anchorage on the ship whereby to operate the valve or cutting head by tension applied to the lanyard when the casing is thrown overboard or, due to the buoyancy of the casing, when the ship sinks.

The aforesaid member can be shear'pin interconnecting fastener elements which are respectively fast with portions of the casing, or the member can include a latch means, outside the casing, which is operatively connected to an actuating member within the casing and operable, by the distension of the raft during inflation, to release the latch means.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one form of stowage, according to the invention and for use on a ship, in which the rigid casing is formed in two relatively movable parts. In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section, with a central portion omitted, through both parts of the stowage;

Figure 2 is a cross-section on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figures 3 and 4 are respectively a plan, and a side elevation of a closing member, including a shear-pin, for releasably interconnecting the two casing parts at one side, the member being drawn to a larger scale than in Figure 2;

Figures 5 and 6 are respectively a plan, and a side elevation of a disconnectable hinge for interconnecting the two casing parts at the opposite side and drawn to the same larger scale;

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Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view, in a plane parallel to Figure 1, of a portion of a suitable form of cutting head; and

Figure 8 is a similar view of another portion thereof.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the rigid casing includes a bottom part 10, having domed, cylindrical end portions 11, 12 and an intermediate semi-cylindrical portion with in-turned lips 13, and a semi-cylindrical upper part 14, forming a cover, with in-turned lips 15. The end portions 11 and 12 are internally reinforced by a pair of concentric hoops 16, 17, and the half of the hoop 17 above the lips 15 is cut back for enabling the hoop 16 to provide a seating, with an interposed resiliently-compressible sealing strip 18, for the ends of the casing part 14.

At one of their longitudinal sides the casing parts 10 and 14 are interconnected by spaced disconnectable hinges of which one is shown at the right-hand side of Figure 2 and in Figures 5 and 6, while at their opposite sides they are held together by a pair of means, one of which is shown at the left-hand side of Figure 2 and in Figures 3 and 4, which will release them when a folded inflatable raft (not shown) contained in the casing is inflated from a bottle 19 of compressed gas held in a cradle 20 within the bottom of the casing part It This bottle additionally acts as a keel when the casing is afloat.

The portions 11 and 12 respectively contain buoyant blocks 21, 21a (e.g., of cork) which are located by flat half-rings 22, 22 having axial flanges 23 by which they are riveted at 24 to the hoops 16.

The outer ends of the portions 11 and 12 are formed with a central hole 25 which is closed by an interior cup 26, or 26a, having a flange 27 by which it is secured in position (as by welding) and a diametrical bar 28 serving as a handle.

To provide for the passage of a lanyard 29 from the outside to be connected to operate a cutting head 30 for the bottle 19, the cup 26a has an inward, coaxial extension 31 and the block 21a has a central recess 32 at its inner end. The recess serves to contain a length 29a of the lanyard wound around the extension 31, and the latter has a bore 33 through which the lanyard extends to the outside. Within the bore 33 is a ring 34 of a material (e.g., viscose sponge) which is permeable to air for ventilation purposes when dry but which, when wet, will swell to grip the lanyard and effect a seal. The recess 32 is sealed by a plate 35 which is secured to the block 21a by a ring of screws 36 of which two are shown in Figure l, and the plate has a hole 37 through which the lanyard is led.

If it is desired to vent the interior of the portion 12 there can be provided a pipe 38 having an open end within the said portion at the top and having its lower end secured around a vent hole 39 in the bottom of the portion 12.

When assembled, it will be seen that the two casing parts 10 and 14 form a cylinder, and they have respective annular extensions or half-hoops 40, 4t] and 41, 41 which provide tyres enabling the complete casing to be rolled, for example, on the deck of a ship.

Referring now to Figures 5 and 6, one of the members of each disconnectable hinge comprises a plate 42, with holes 43 for rivets 44 by which it is secured to the casing part 14, carrying a hook member 45 which is to be engaged by a pivoted loop member 46 supported from a plate 47 of the coacting hinge member. The plate 47 is provided with holes 48 for rivets 49 by which it is secured to the casing part 10, and it has an outward extension 50 in which is supported a screw-operated device 51 for adjusting the grip of the loop member 46 on the hook 45.

The closing member shown in Figures 3 and 4 includes plates 52 and 53 provided with holes 544, 54 by which they It are respectivelysecured to a the casing parts 1t} .and 14 by rivets 55. The plate 53 has a lug 56 on which a bifurcated end 57 of a hand-lever 58 is pivoted at 59, and: the lever'58 at an intermediate point, pivotally. supports at -61 a pair of plates-60,160 which-are interconnected by a stay 62 and support a shear-pin 63 to beengaged in a ho-ok 64 carried by thepla te '52. The plate 52 has a lug 65 in which is supported a screw-operated device 66 for'adjusting the position of the hook '64. It will be seen that the closing members have a toggle action, and the screw-operated devices-i and 66 are adjusted for the lips B and 15 of the casing parts and 14 to grip an interposed, -resiliently-compressible sealing strip 68 which canyfo-r example, be ofsponge rubber or. be in the form-of an inflated tube.

{The form of cutting head-shown in Figures 7 and 8 includes a fitting 70 having aninternal screw-thread 71 for engaging a corresponding screw-thread on the neck 72 of the bottlesw, and it is formed with a lateral boss '73 with a duct 74 through which the contents of the bottle can be discharged for inflating the raft, the extension 73 having anexternal screw-thread 75 for-engagement in a union atone end of a'hose having its other end secured to the raft. Within the member 70 is a ported guide 76 for one end of a cutting member 77, and the other end of the latter extends-through a guide hole in a crown 73 of the member '70. The inner end of the cutting member has a cutting edge 79 for piercing a seal of the bottle, and its other end has a head 8b which is biassed to an outward position by a spring 81 reacting on thecrown 78. A casing 82 has a -neck 83secured over the crown 78 and ithQS-Withil'lxit an arm 84 which is pivoted at 85. This arm carries a roller fidwhich bears on the head 80, and the opposite end-of the arm 84 coacts with a cam 87 which isfast with a reel88 to which. the inner end of the lanyard 29 is anchored at 8%. The reel has a central hole 90 for a-journal bearing 91 which is screwed intotthe casing 82,

and the lanyard 29 is led out of the casing 82 through a portion :92. The reel has a stop 93 which coacts with an abutment 94 of the casing 82 so as to allow the reel to make just less than one revolution when the lanyard is pulled.

Pulling of the lanyard rotates the cam 87 so as to cause the roller 86 to operate the cutting member 77 for releasing the gas from the bottle 19. The gas leaves the latter and passes through the ports of the guide 76, and through the duct 7 4 to inflate the raft to an extent at which the internal pressure within the casing is sufficient to rupture the shear-pin 63 and allow the casing part re to be violently separated from'the casing part iii. The raft then continues to become inflated, expanding itself out of the opened casing, and, when fully inflated, the lanyard can be severed.

When a valve is used instead of a cutting head, the lanyard would be connected to operate the valve.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A stowage, adapted to contain an inflatable raft or like inflatable object and to be thrown from a carrying vessel into the sea, comprising a rigid casing including at least two parts which are supported to be movable to a position in which the casing is opened, rupturable means including a hook normally attachable thereto and detachable therefrom interconnecting said parts to hold them in closed condition, an inflatable object positioned initially within said casing, a reservoir of highly compressed gas within said casing and for inflating said inflatable object, an outlet from said reservoir and connected to said inflatable object, a control for said outlet and means coupled to said control for operating said control from a remote position for releasing the gas from said reservoir to inflate said inflatable object against the restraint of the casing until sufficient pressure is developed to fracture the rupturable means and thereby allow said parts to be moved to an opened condition for, enabli gisai inflatable object to expand out of said container.

2. A stowage, adapted to contain an inflatable raft or like inflatable object and to be thrown from a carrying vessel into the sea, comprising a rigid cylindrical casing including at least two semi-cylindrical parts which are hinged together at .their adjacentedgestat one .sideso that one of said parts is movable to a position in which the casing is opened, rupturable means including a hook normally attachable thereto .and detachable therefrom interconnecting the other adjacent edges of said parts to hold them in closed condition, an inflatable object positioned initially within said casing, a reservoir of highly compressed gas within said casing and for inflating said inflatable object, an outlet from said reservoir and connected to said inflatable object, a control for said outlet and means entering said casing through one end and at a location inwardly-of its periphery coupled to said control for operating said control from a remote position for releasing the gas from said reservoir to inflate said inflatable object against the restraint of the casing until sufficient pressure is developed to fracture the rupturable means and thereby allow said one part to hinge to'an opened condition for enabling said inflatable object toexpand out of said container.

3. A stowage, adapted to contain an inflatable raft or like inflatable object and to be thrown from a carrying vessel into the sea, comprising a rigid cylindrical casing including at least two semi-cylindrical parts which are pivotally interconnected at their adjacent edges at one side so that one of said parts is movable to a positionin which the casing is opened, the pivotal interconnection including coacting members which will disengage to release said one part when the latter has been moved to open the casing, rupturable means including ahook normally attachable thereto and detachable therefrom interconnecting the other adjacent edges of said parts to hold them in closed condition, an inflatable object positioned initially within said casing, a reservoir of highly compressed gas within said casing and for inflating said inflatable object, an outlet from said reservoir and connected to said inflatable object, a control for said outlet and means coupled to said control for operating said control from a remote position for releasing the gas from said reservoir to inflate said inflatable object against the restraint of the casing until sufficient pressure is developed to fracture the rupturable means and thereby allowsaid one part first to move about said pivotal interconnection to an opened condition and then to be released by the disengagement of said coacting membersfor enabling said inflatable object to expand out of said container.

4. A stowage, adapted to contain an inflatable raft or like inflatable object and to be thrownfrom a carrying vessel into the sea, comprising a rigid cylindrical casing including at least two semi-cylindrical parts which are pivotally interconnected at their adjacent edges at one side so that one of said parts is movable to a position in which the casing is opened, the pivotal interconnection including coacting members which will disengage to release said one part when the latter has been moved to open the casing, hook means fast with the opposite edge of either of said parts, a toggle pivoted from the other of said parts, said toggle including a rupturable member to be engaged by said hook means for holding said parts in closed condition, an inflatable object positioned initially within said casing, a reservoir of highly compressed gas within said casing and for inflating said inflatable object, an outlet from said reservoir and connected to said inflatable object, a control for said outlet and means coupled to said control for operating said control from a remote position for releasing the gas from said reservoir to inflate said inflatable object against the restraint of the casing until sufficient pressure is developed for said hook means to fracture said rupturable member and thereby allow said one part first to move about said pivotal interconnection to an opened condition and then to be released by the disengagement of said coacting members for enabling said inflatable object to expand out of said container.

5. A stowage, adapted to contain an inflatable raft or like inflatable object and to be thrown from a carrying vessel into the sea, comprising a rigid cylindrical casing including at least two semi-cylindrical parts which are pivotally interconnected at their adjacent edges at one side so that one of said parts is movable to position in which the casing is opened, the pivotal interconnection including coacting members which will disengage to release said one part when the latter has been moved to open the casing, hook means fast with the opposite edge of either of said parts, a toggle pivoted from the other of said parts, said toggle including a shear-pin to be engaged by said hook means for holding said parts in closed condition, an inflatable object positioned initially within said casing, a reservoir of highly compressed gas within said casing and for inflating said inflatable object, an outlet from said reservoir and connected to said inflatable object, a control for said outlet and a lanyard connected to said control for operating said control from a remote position for releasing the gas from said reservoir to inflate said inflatable object against the restraint of the casing until suflicient pressure is developed for said hook means to fracture said shear-pin and thereby allow said one part first to move about said pivotal interconnection to an opened condition and then to be released by the disengaeement of said coacting members for enabling said inflatable object to expand out of said container.

6. A stowage, adapted to contain an inflatable raft or like inflatable object and to be thrown from a carrying vessel into the sea, comprising a rigid cylindrical casing including circular end portions and two semi-cylindrical parts of like diameter, one of said parts having its semicircular ends coaxially fast with said end portions and the other of said parts being separate and acting as a closure to said casing, coacting members respectively at the adjacent edges of said parts at one side for pivotally interconnecting them, said coacting members being such as will disengage when said other part has been moved to open the casing, hook means fast with the opposite edge of either of said parts, a toggle pivoted from the other of said parts. said toggle including a shear-pin to be engaged by said hook means for holding said parts in closed condition, an inflatable object positioned initially within said casing, a reservoir of highly compressed gas within said casing and for inflating said inflatable object, said reservoir disposed at the bottom of the casing so as to act as a keel for said casing, an outlet from said reservoir and connected to said inflatable object, a control for said outlet and a lanyard connected to said control for operating said control from a remote position for releasing the gas from said reservoir to inflate said inflatable object against the restraint of the casing until suflicient pressure is developed for said hook means to fracture said shear-pin and thereby allow said other part first to move about said pivotal interconnection to an opened condition and then to be released by the disengagement of said coacting members for enabling said inflatable object to expand out of said container.

7. A stowage, according to claim 6, in which the casing is provided externally with annular extensions which provide tyres having their peripheries outwardly of said coacting members permitting the casing to be rolled, the extensions being formed in aligned arcuate portions on the semi-cylindrical parts and abutting at their ends.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,038,420 Coakley Apr. 21, 1936 2,609,549 Krupp Sept. 9, 1952 2,711,868 Parker et a1. June 28, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 3,371 Great Britain 1908 

